Nigeria is planning to change the way satellite-based mobile services are licensed, as the regulator opens consultations on regulating Satellite Direct-to-Device (D2D) connectivity.
In a consultation paper released this week, the telecoms regulator said it is considering regulatory alternatives for approving D2D services, which allow satellites to provide voice, message, and data directly to mobile devices.
The consultation is an initial dialogue between industry players, consumer groups, and the public ahead of any official regulatory action under Section 71 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) said the exercise is aimed at gathering information to guide decisions on spectrum management, coexistence with existing terrestrial networks, licensing models, competition, consumer protection, security and investment incentives.
It noted that recent advances in non-terrestrial network technologies now enable some mobile phones to connect directly to satellites using either mobile-satellite spectrum or frequencies traditionally reserved for terrestrial networks.
A central issue under review is whether Nigeria’s current telecommunications licences are sufficient for D2D operations.
The Commission is seeking views on whether to amend existing licences such as the Unified Access Service Licence or the Global Mobile Personal Communications System Licence to explicitly include D2D services, or to establish a new, standalone licence category.
The NCC linked the initiative to Nigeria’s persistent connectivity gaps. Citing a 2024 access-gap study conducted through the Universal Service Provision Fund, the regulator said about 23.37 million people were underserved nationwide.
According to the Commission, satellite-based solutions could offer viable alternatives in areas where conventional network deployment is commercially or technically impractical.
The consultation, which runs until February 23, 2026, is open to telecom licensees, consumers, government agencies, international organisations and civil society groups, with responses expected to guide the commission’s eventual regulation process.
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